Community Forums

KenGSr · 02-15-2003, 02:32 PM

I am disabled and have to move from CG to CG slowly so I pay by the month. This week I got the OK to move to CA so I started searching CGs on the net. I had selected 6 and sent them emails requesting info for arrival in April. I had 1 answer me. I have made reservations at that one but really wonder why the other 5 have web sites and don't answer email. To me this is not the way to run a business. I assume they have so much they just don't care.

03 Mako 5er, 99 Ford F250SD Auto. Minature Snauzer as co-pilot and "Brat".

KenGSr · 02-15-2003, 02:32 PM

I am disabled and have to move from CG to CG slowly so I pay by the month. This week I got the OK to move to CA so I started searching CGs on the net. I had selected 6 and sent them emails requesting info for arrival in April. I had 1 answer me. I have made reservations at that one but really wonder why the other 5 have web sites and don't answer email. To me this is not the way to run a business. I assume they have so much they just don't care.

03 Mako 5er, 99 Ford F250SD Auto. Minature Snauzer as co-pilot and "Brat".

mjstef · 02-15-2003, 05:13 PM

"I assume they have so much they just don't care."

I agree with you. We try to answer ours within 24 hours. Never more than 48.

Matt

2000 F250 4x4 6spd PSD 3.73 Western Diesel Chip, Guages & Ram-Air.
My Truck 97,000 Miles. My Campground Southeast Diesel rally North Florida Dealer for Western Diesel Performance, Ultra Hitch goosneck adapters American fuel/tool tanks and Jordan Brake Controllers.

Dream Weaver · 02-16-2003, 01:47 AM

Several years ago, I was planning a trip to Colorado. The campground I choose had a nice website so I sent an email to the campground for more information. I never received a reply. I just thought they were closed for the winter. Finally I received a letter from her. When I called to make the reservation she said that she did not have a computer that the emails went to someone who then would contact her.

Below is an ad on the www:

Websites for Computer Illiterate Business Owners

What we do is create professional looking websites for computer illiterate business owners and at a cost that most business owners can afford.

The only skill that you need is the ability to type an address into a web browser, such as internet explorer or Netscape Navigator. If you know how to send and receive email, this is also helpful, but it is not required.

---------
The campground that we are currently assistant managers at does not have computers.

I hope this information has been of some help to you.

Click to see who Sierra is:

http://pages.ivillage.com/sierra75142/

Ken Lenger · 02-16-2003, 04:11 PM

Many businesses have websites because that's the thing to do. They look at them as sort of a yellow pages listing. You can usually tell the ones that don't really believe in internet business becuase the website may have 1 or more very simple pages with a note showing what business they are in and a phone number. They have no clue as to how much business they loose because they don't get into it.

The internet is a very powerful consumer tool. I'm sure that the CG owner/member's here that do use the internet get many customers from it. Word of mouth is very important in this business, and the internet moves that word very quickly.

Ken Lenger
Dodge 2001.9 2500 QC 4X4 LWB SLT HO 6 Speed, 4.10 LSD. Jordan Brake Controller, Jacobs E-Brake.
Artic Fox 27-5L 5th Wheel, RV Modifications, & Other RV Topics RV Solar Electric System
RV and Tow Vehicle Weights, an exercise in reality
irv2.com brochure & newsletters download.

Brunnie · 02-17-2003, 01:11 PM

As I see it, for those businesses (campgrounds) that do not have computers, or web/email access, a simple site with as much information as possible is acceptable. Current rates should be posted, contact information on just about every page, and a ton of pictures so that prospectives have a good idea of what they are looking at before contacting the campground.

Many campgrounds do have email/web access and also have good looking websites. They also have someone either on staff or in the family that takes care of the site itself, or handles the emails.

Either way, the web is the new "tour guide" for those traveling.

Rich & Kim, Oreo too
F250 Supercab, Prowler 5ver, TrailAir pinbox
<color=yellow>Solar, Makita Genset
WHR Blue Mesa Ranch, Colorado Springs CO
<A HREF="http://rk-enterprises.home.att.net">RV Hints and Tips

3-2-Go · 02-18-2003, 03:43 AM

As a professional web site coder, I can attest to the level of computer literacy. I actually did a web site for a small business that did not have computer access, but they expected it within 3 months. That was a loooong time ago and I will never do it again.

Coding an effective web site and then using it as a professional tool seems to escape most cg's according to my surfing for campgrounds. I like to search and view web sites for campgrounds, but almost every one is unprofessional, amateurish, and the e-mail contacts do not elicit a response.

For example, we have reservations for a May weekend at a private cg. I called them to make the reservation, but never received a confirmation note. Despite the obviously poor web site, I e-mailed a request for confirmation on my reservation. Well, the web site construction was such that I was pretty sure I wouldn't get a response. But, this same campground had a very impressive booth at the Chicago RV show -- so it makes me wonder why some of these cg operators will budget marketing $$ for shows and print ads, yet a 24-7 web site is not viewed as a valuable marketing effort. I should have given them some cards for the web shops I work with, dang, guess I missed my own marketing effort?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
member GLPUC, Illinois Chapter
Me, my DH, our boy & our dog ready for adventure in our little *Pal*

Ghost · 02-18-2003, 04:55 PM

While planning our summer trip, I sent email to a lot of campgrounds. Only one of them replied within 48 hours. Another CG replied about three weeks later, after I had already called and booked our reservation. I can only guess the web is the last thing on many CG owner's minds. At least in Albuquerque, Phoenix and Portland, OR

Ghost
'02 Adventurer 32V Ford
Various Toads
Snow Covered Frozen Connecticut Woods
FMCA 300790.Good Sam.WIT.PCA-CVR
When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

Lynnvt · 02-19-2003, 02:45 AM

I have had similar experiences in planning vacations. No replies from many. You would think the cg owners would get a clue. There are over 8000 members on this site! Lots of potential business. I do almost all of our vacation planning on the internet. Those without websites don't tend to get my business.

Lynnvt
2002 Cardinal 33LX by Forest River
2002 Chevy Silverado 3500 extended cab dually

Lorna · 02-19-2003, 03:51 AM

I don't care about a lot of slick graphics and slideshows on a web site. I have a 2 yo computer (read ancient and slow) and a lot of graphics slows me down. If a page takes too long to load I go elsewhere. I DO expect information and that means more than what I can find in the Woodall's. I expect to find the "Additional" fees (all of them) as well as the base rate that they charge for a site. I want the rules of the campground (not "Oops! No pets or kids allowed" when we get there or "Your rig is too old" or "You're not old enough"). I want a campground map, prefer PDF so I can download, save and print out later. If I want pics then I want them on a seperate page. I don't care what the office looks like or their cute kitty cat, SHOW ME THE SITES!!! Give me a page with links to area attractions and the weather. And let me put my reservation on my Visa. I want my e-mail answered with-in 3 days max! How hard is it to check the E-mail at least once every day?

Lorna
1972 Eagle 05 Bus Conversion (Self Conversion)
"The goal of life is living in agreement with Nature" Zeno (335BC-264BC)
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/TN/Chattanooga.html">
<img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/banner/bigwx_both_cond/language/www/US/TN/Chattanooga.gif"

3-2-Go · 02-19-2003, 04:08 AM

Lorna, yes, those are all things professional developers take into consideration when doing a web site. PDF's can be expensive to create and that's why you don't always see cg maps in PDF form due to the cost of the software. If you find an html map on a web site, you can right click and save as which will basically download the map for later use. Also, PDF's can take more time to download, so on your older computer, an html map might be easier on your time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
member GLPUC, Illinois Chapter
Me, my DH, our boy & our dog ready for adventure in our little *Pal*

Lorna · 02-19-2003, 06:08 AM

PDF file doesn't normally take a long time but hmtl seems to take longer. I believe Adobe sells for about $300 that will allow you to make pdf files. Most advertising costs more than that.

Lorna
1972 Eagle 05 Bus Conversion (Self Conversion)
"The goal of life is living in agreement with Nature" Zeno (335BC-264BC)
<a href="http://www.wunderground.com/US/TN/Chattanooga.html">
<img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/banner/bigwx_both_cond/language/www/US/TN/Chattanooga.gif"

JCDaoust · 02-20-2003, 04:13 AM

I agree with Lorna; give us the real information and please answer our e-mails within 24/48 hours.

Prowler 35-5Y LSI,
2002 Sierra 3500 SLE Duramax/Allison, Air Ride Hitch, Prodigy brake controller, Line-X

Grumpy Dave · 02-20-2003, 09:52 AM

There is no doubt that every effort should be made to answer e-mails promptly. I think in some cases campgrounds especially those in high traffic, desireable areas sometimes can be overwhelmed by requests for information about reservations. We've always made it a habit to search on the web but make reservations by phone.With the number of Rvers growing we are all having to make earlier reservations to get those "favorite" spots...

Have the Best Day You Can

1994 Pace Arrow DP
2000 Jeep Wrangler